In a significant move to boost operational efficiency and enhance pilot workflow, TAP Air Portugal has expanded its partnership with NAVBLUE by adopting their advanced Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) solutions, Mission+ FLIGHT and Flysmart+. These tools are designed to support the airline’s evolving digital Flight Operations environment, marking a crucial step towards integrating a more connected and efficient system.
Since 2020, TAP Air Portugal has utilized NAVBLUE’s technologies, and this latest upgrade will leverage Mission+ FLIGHT, an integrated electronic flight folder module of NAVBLUE’s Electronic Flight Assistant. It aims to streamline the briefing, flight follow-up, and reporting processes, thus significantly reducing manual inputs and the potential for errors, while simultaneously enhancing the situational awareness of pilots.
The Mission+ FLIGHT solution facilitates efficient data workflow between the Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) systems and the flight deck, allowing for real-time monitoring and archival of mission-critical data. It is also compatible with the FOMAX Aircraft Interface Device, which aids in the automatic retrieval of essential information throughout the flight path.
Furthermore, Flysmart+, a robust aircraft performance and Weight & Balance calculation tool, is integrated with Mission+ FLIGHT. This integration supports seamless communication and data transfer, automating the retrieval of crucial flight information like departure and arrival airports, aircraft type, and registration number, thus optimizing the pre-flight and post-flight performance computations.
Marc Lemeilleur, CEO of NAVBLUE, emphasized the strategic intent behind these solutions: “TAP Air Portugal was looking for a truly integrated and connected EFB environment to support their pilots’ mission management activities in terms of Ground to Air solutions. Our solutions will provide TAP Air Portugal pilots with better situational awareness, reducing their workload and manual entries, making their journey seamless while improving operational efficiency and safety of the airline.”
Echoing the sentiment on operational advancements, Mário Bento, TAP Air Portugal Flight Operations Director, highlighted the expected benefits: “With the adoption of NAVBLUE’s state-of-the-art EFB solutions, we aim to improve the pilot experience, streamline workflow in the cockpit to optimize flight management and take advantage of aircraft connectivity to foster better communication and coordination with our operational departments. This crucial step aligns with our commitment to digital transformation and sustainability, driving us towards a more innovative and eco-friendly future in aviation.”
Founded in March 1945, TAP Air Portugal is the flag carrier of Portugal and a member of the Star Alliance. Operating a fleet of 81 aircraft, all from Airbus (A319, A320, A321, A330), the airline serves a network of around 80 destinations across Europe, the Americas, and Africa, continually striving to enhance its service and operational efficiency through technological advancements.